Glove pressing and stretching machine



Nov. 8, 1960 T. G. BOLDIZZONI GLOVE asssmc AND STRETCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1959 INVENTOR. 72054400 fiiaza/zzalv/ Nov. 8, 1960 1'. G. BOLDIZZONI GLOVE PRESSING AND STRETCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed July 10, 1959 FIG.4

FIG. 6

Nov. 8, 1960 T. G. BOLDIZZONI 2,959,331

GLOVE PRESSING AND STRETCHING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. 72-05/1400 iazp/zzo/w lay/KW expensive gloves.

2,5,33l Patented Nov. 8, 1960 GLOVE PRESSING AND STRETCG MACHINE Teohaldo G. Eoldizzoni, 2460 University Ave, Bronx 68, N.Y.

Filed July 10, 1959, Ser. No. 826,235

3 Claims. (Cl. 22357) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in machines for pressing and stretching gloves.

In my ,prior Patents Nos. 2,186,192 and 2,324,673, I have described a pressing machine in which gloves are mounted on rotating heatable forms and are stripped therefrom by means of two continuously rotating belts, the glove forms being detachably mounted to a rotatable turret type support whereby gloves of various types are capableiof being pressed. The two belts are movable with respect to one another during the cyclic operation of the machine to permit the insertion of a glove form between the two :belts without mutilating the glove and the subsequent stripping of the glove therefrom.

In another patent, No. 2,511,455, involving the same type of glove pressing machine described in the aforementioned patents, I have shown that the forms on which the gloves are mounted can be cooperably associated with an additional mechanism for pressing the fingers of the gloves to smooth .the same so that the hands may slip into the glove easily and comfortably.

Such pressing has generally been done manually on relatively expensive gloves or .not at all on relatively in- In order to insure adequate pressing throughout the fingers, and to obtain the desired stretching longitudinally of the glove as well as laterally of the fingers, the forms were generally made sufficiently .oversizeso that the operator, by using sufiicient force in pulling the glove down over the heated metal form, could efiect the desired stretching before, during and after pressing. This method, though, had its disadvantages in that .it fatigued the operator with the result that overall production efficiency would be adversely aifected.

I have found that 1 can overcome the aforementioned disadvantage by utilizing a specially designed glove form which is adapted to cooperate with the glove pressing mechanism during a cyclic operation whereby the glove :form is caused to expand laterally at least throughout the fingers to effect stretching and ironing out of the fin e ;Ihe foregoing improved mechanism is advantageous in that the glove forms need not be made oversize and thus the operator need not expend much physical energy in pulling the gloves over the forms.

It is thus an object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus combination including an expandable glove form for pressing gloves, whereby during a portion of a glove pressing cycle, the glove form is caused to expand laterally at least at the fingers thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved glove ironing machine in which the glove forms are comprised of coincident opposing half forms or finger plates which are connected together in matching relationship to form a single form, with the half fingers of one biased against the, half fingers of the other, the form having means which cooperate with means on the apparatus during a cycle whereby at least the finger portion of the half forms are caused to separate laterally (i.e. expand laterally) against the action of biasing means tending to hold them together.

According to one embodiment of my invention, the foregoing is achieved after completion of that portion of the pressing cycle when the finger pressing members have been inserted between the fingers of the form and moved substantially parallel thereto to smooth the seams of the fingers separately.

More specifically, as pointed out in my Patent 2,511,- 455, the form or forms on which the gloves are mounted when in operating position, are arranged with 'the;fingers extending in a predetermined plane and the finger pressing members are arranged to move in a plane sub;- stantially perpendicular to that predetermined plane to be inserted between the fingers.

According to the aforementioned feature, the form or forms are moved into and out of operative position, the movement of the forms, the finger pressing members and the lateral expansion of the fingers of the forms being related to one another so as to occur in predeterrmined order to permit continuous pressing of a series of gloves, the lateral stretching of the gloves occurring after the completion of the finger pressing cycle when means in the path of movement of the forms contact each of the forms to effect said lateral expansion of the fingers.

These and other features of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the appended claims and the drawing wherein:

Fig. l is an exploded view of a glove form embodiment particularly adapted in carrying out the invention;

Fig. 2 shows the glove form in side elevation comprising two half forms connected together in matching relationship, the half fingers of one being biased against the half fingers of the other;

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows the form in the unbiased or open position;

Fig. 4 is an elevated view of an automatic type pressing and stretching machine adapted to cooperate with said glove form;

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of this machine in assembled condition showing the position of the camming surface relative to the cam-actuated glove forms;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary three-dimensional View of the glove form with its associated cam follower and the cam surface of the machine with which the cam follower cooperates during a pressing cycle;

Fig. 7 shows across-section of the cam surface 116- picting how the cam follower cooperates with the cam surface to efiect lateral stretching of the glove at the fingers;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 with the cam follower sufficiently advanced along the cam surface to start the lateral closing of the half fingers through the release of the biasing means.

Referring to Fig. 1, one embodiment of a glove form is shown in exploded view comprising half forms 2 and 3 with half fingers 4 internally channeled to receive heating means 5 of electric resistance wire as shown in half form 3 with similar means in half form 2. The heating wires are series connected and suitably insulated and held in position by a folded thin strip of steel .6 suitably fastened to the form, the wires terminating at the back end of the form to binding posts, one of which 7 is shown in Fig. 2.

Half form 2 would have similar heater wire (not shown) which would be series connected to those of half form 3. Half form 2 is tapered in thickness rearward of the fingers so that when mated with form 3, it is capable of rocking against it. This form is held against form 3 by a pair of screws and springs 8 and 9, respectively, which pass through holes 10 and 11 into threaded holes 12 and 13 of form 3. The rearward tapered portion of form 2 has a guide pin- 14 which passes through biasing spring 15 into indexing hole 16 of form 3. The external face of form 2 has a cam follower 17 mounted in bracket 18. The rearward portion of form 3 has an end plate 19 fastened in place by screw 20.

An assembled inverted view of the glove form is shown in elevation in Fig. 2. The half fingers 4 are shown biased in the closed position by virtue of the action of biasing spring 15 acting against thetapered end of form 2.

Fig. 3 shows the half fingers apart when pressure is applied to cam follower 17 against the biasing action of spring 15.

By arranging the glove forms on a glove pressing machine in the manner to be described later, cam follower 17 is caused to be acted upon by a camming surface in timed sequence to a pressing operation whereby the fingers of the form are caused to expand laterally to stretch and press the fingers of the gloves.

An embodiment of a machine which may be utilized in carrying out the invention is illustrated in Fig. 4 which uses four glove forms, only three of which, 1, 1a and 1b are shown, the forms being fastened to a spider structure 20 by means of bolts 21 passing through holes 22 (note Fig. 1). Structure 20 is mounted on and rotated by a hollow shaft 23 carried in brackets 24 and 25 on a table 26. As shaft 23 rotates, one form after the other is moved down through an opening in the table 26 between adjacent portions of two endless driven belts 27 and 28. Form 1b, with a glove mounted thereon, is shown as gripped between the two belts 27 and 28.

Belt 27 passes over a set of rollers comprising two small rollers 29 and 3t) and an intermediate large roller 31. Bearing against the outside surface of the belt 27 is a roller 32 supported in a frame 33 in which roller is also supported. The frame 33 is carried in a framework 34 on which the table 26 is mounted. The belt 28 is similarly mounted on a set consisting of two small rollers 35 and 36 and an intermediate large roller 37. The contacting portions of the two belts form a V at the bottom of which the large roller 31 is located. The belts contact with one another throughout their contiguous outer surfaces. By mechanism to be presently described, the portions of the belts extending between rollers 29, 31, 35 and 37, respectively, are moved back and forth with respect to one another so as to allow the entry of a form between the belts whereupon the belts are pressed together and, as they rotate, will strip the glove from the form and carry it until it emerges between the small rollers 36 and 36. The gloves travelling between the belts are ironed by means of irons 38 and 39 engaging opposite surfaces of belts 27 and 28 forming one leg of the V.

The operating mechanism is substantially like the one illustrated in my aforementioned Patent No. 2,186,192 and, therefore, only so much of it is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 as is necessary to understand operation. Part 413 is a motor driven shaft mounted within the frame 34 of Fig. 4. Shaft 40 carries a worm on which the lower large roller 37 is supported. This shaft carries a gear (not shown) which meshes with another gear (not shown) fastened to shaft 41 on which the upper large roller 31 is supported. Through these gears, the two rollers 37 and 31 are rotated and their rotation is transmitted to the small rollers 29 and 35 by means of two endless driving belts 42 and 43 encircling the two pairs of rollers. The belt 27 is placed on top of the belt 42, the two belts being held in position by means of a guide 44. Similarly, the belt 28 is placed on top of the belt 43 and the belts are held in position by means of guide 45.

The roller 29 is supported by a frame 46, rotatably mounted on shaft 41 of roller 31. Roller 35 is on a frame-47, which oscillates about 40. Limited relative movement between the rollers 37 and 31 is insured by means of a spring 48 to permit slight displacement of these rollers when a glove passes between them.

A cyclic reciprocating movement between the two rollers 29 and 35 is controlled by the means fully disclosed in my aforementioned patent.

A cam (not shown) actautes levers (not shown) to control the machine and cam 49 (Fig. 4) provided on shaft 40 actuates a pivoted lever 50 which through a rod 51 and suitable gearing 52 provided within a housing 53 on the table 26 causes the cyclic rotation of the shaft 23. Thus, it will be insured that the left hand portions of the belts 27 and 28 forming one leg of the V along which they contact, will separate to allow the insertion of a form between them and will then be pressed together to strip the glove from the form and move the glove to the delivery point past rollers 30 and 36.

The arrangement of the belts 27 and 28 is such that the gloves mounted on the forms will be definitely gripped in succession as they are moved between the belts without deforming the gloves. The gloves will then be removed from the form and will be carried between the belts which will strip and flatten them.

Each of the forms 1, 1a and 1b consists of two parts as stated above and encloses two resistances (not shown) distributed within the glove forms to heat and dry the gloves placed thereon.

Electrical contact is made with the terminals of a form as an incident of the mounting thereof on the spider 20. This feature is described in Patent 2,324,673 and includes conductors 54, 55 and 56 electrically connected to a conical spring assembly.

The ends of conductors 54 to 56 are connected to commutators 57. 58 and 59 (Fig. 4), respectively, mounted on the end of shaft 23, but insulated therefrom and from one another. These commutators are each engaged by a spring pressed brush 60, 61 and 62, the whole assembly being enclosed within a housing 63 (Fig. 4), provided on table 26. On this housing 63 are mounted switches 64 and 65, by means of which the resistance elements within the irons 38 and 39 may be controlled, as well as switches (not shown) by means of which the elements within the forms may be controlled.

Crank 67 is attached with one end to shaft 40 through sleeve 66; crank 67 also engages, with its other end, sleeve link 69 through ball and socket joint 68; link 69 is engaged through a second ball and socket joint 70, lever 71 and produces, when driven by crank 67, an oscillatory movement of shaft 72 and lever 71 attached thereto. Shaft 72 is mounted in bearings 73 and 74 supported on table 26 and cross strip 75, respectively, the latter being welded or attached in a manner not shown, to cross bars 76 of framework 34.

Shaft 72 carries on its upper end and above table 26 a sleeve 77 which supports a finger pressing mechanism. The finger pressing mechanism is rotated in a surface inclined downwardly by a certain angle with respect to a horizontal plane in order to fall within the same plane of the glove forms which are inclined upwardly at a certain angle when in the finger pressing position. Fig. 4 shows that shaft 23 and the fingers of formsl, 1a, 1b and 1c, when in operating position, point in a direction having a similar angle with respect to a horizontal plane. In this way the operative movement of the finger pressing mechanism caused by the rotation of shaft 72 about a vertical axis is caused to occur in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the fingers are arranged and substantially parallel to the direction of the fingers. An accurate straightening of the finger seams is assured. The finger pressing mechanism (note Figs. 4 and 5) comprises three metal blades 78 mounted on projections 79 of sleeve 77. A bolt 80 passing through holes in blades 78 and projections79 serves to.hold blades 78 in such a way as to permit a rotating movement of each blade about bolt 80. Sleeve 77 and projections 79 are made of one piece and consist of rather solid .5 and good heat conducting material such as aluminum casting. Blades 78 are preferably of Phosphor bronze although aluminum may be employed.

' Riveted orwelded to each of'the metal blades 78 is .a bronze or metal casting- 81 which is formed witha projecting mg 82. Each lug 82 has'ahole for receiving a screw 83. This screw is fastened in a corresponding recess which is part of sleeve 77. A spring 84 slipped over screw 83 flexibly opposes the rotation of 'blades 78 and bolt 80. Thus, the pressureexerted byvthe finger pressing mechanism during its ro movement about vertical shaft 72vis made flexible this point ironing pressure is exerted against; the seams The correct sequence of these finger pressing. operations with respect to other operations of the machineis assured by sleeve link 69. This link including-ball and SQcketjoints 68 and 70 represents the connection between the driving and the driven members of the finger pressing mechanism.

.As described in my Patent No. 2,51"1j, 455, the length of sleeve link 69 is'capable of being adjusted ,so as to control the amount of oscillation of theseam pressing blades to fit a particular glove form.

Thus, it will be seen that the glove forms move intermittently to one of fourpositions. A foot pedal or other clutch means not shown would be actuated by an operator whereby the spider carrying the glove forms would rotate one quarter of a turn. Referring to Figs. 4 and 6 the movement of glove form 1 to the position of glove form 1a would constitute a one quarter turn. Thus, a glove would be inserted on form 1, the clutch released and the form moved to position of form 1a (Figs. 4 and A heclutoh is againreleased, seam pre sing la es 78 would sweep between the .fingers'of the glove and return to home position. As it .returnsto home position, the seam pressed glove then moves downward, to reach the position of form 1b of Fig. 4. On the way to this position, cam follower 17 contacts a camming surface which projects in the path of travel. As follower 17 rides the camming surface, the two half forms making up the glove form are caused to spread laterally at the fingers to stretch the fingers of the glove via the cooperative coaction of the cam follower and camming surface.

Referring to the plan view of Fig. 5 and Figs. 6 to 8, the camming surface 89 is shown connected near one end at table top 26 in the path of travel of the glove forms. The camming surface is formed of several steel plates 86 and 87 welded and connected together by a wedge 88, whereby a downwardly sloping camming surface 89 is obtained. The end of the camming surface plate in contact with the top of the table is rockably connected thereto by a loose-fitting bolt mounted with a biasing spring 91 which holds the plate firmly against the flat surface of table top 26. A guide pin 92 is provided which passes through opening 93 of'diameter sufficiently greater than the pin to aiford some play to the movement of the pin.

The camming surface is designed to rock about a fulcrum which in this case is at the edge of table 26 indicated generally by the numeral 94. The rockable camming surface is designed to act upon cam follower 17 to push the tapered half of the glove form against its biasing spring (note Figs. 2 and 3) to spread the glove fingers laterally until the cam follower 17 passes the fulcrum 94 sufficiently so that the expansion force of biasing spring 15 now acts against cam surface 89 and causes it to rock about fulcrum 93 against biasing spring 91. At this point (note Figs. 2, 3 and 8), biasing spring 15 is almost fully retracted and becomes fully retracted when cam follower 17 rides off the curved end 95 of camming surface 89. When the glove form leaves the camming surface, it enters the position of form 1b of Fig. 4 where the stretched glove is easily removed by discharge belts 27 and 28.

Of course, it will be appreciated that various types of camming surfaces may be designed to coact with the .6 cam follower. The camming surface need not be rockable, although I have found thisstructure to be preferred to avoidsudden release of the-biasing springs in the-forms after completion of the lateral stretching.

Summarizing the foregoing, the invention is applicable to 'a machine for ironing and stretching gloves comprising at least one glove formfor supporting the fingers of a glove, wherein said glove form is adapted to be moved intermittently to one of a plurality of treating positions making up a working cycle. The invention utilizes an improvement wherein the glove form is comprised of opposing half forms including'half fingers which are connectedtogether in matching relationship with the half 'fingersof one half formmechanically biased against the half fingers of the other. The glove form has actuating meansjby which said half fingers can be separated laterally against the bias and means associated with said machine for cooperating with said actuating means during a working cycle to effect the-lateral separation of saidhalf ffingers against the bias, there y effecting stretching of the glove laterally of said fingers.

As pointed out hereinbefore, it is preferred that the actuating means of said glove form comprise a cam fol lower and that the means associated with the machine further along the camming surface past a fulcrum, the

camming surface rocks about the fulcrum to decrease the pressure against the cam follower whereby the biasing .rneansof the .glovenform causes the fingers to close into their original position.

If desired, the expandable glove form can be used as an apparatus combination with cooperating means for actuating the opening and closing of the glove form during pressing. In such a combination, instead of the glove form being moved from one position to another, it may be held stationary. The glove form would have heating units and the structure shown in Fig. l, and in the assembled condition would be heated, a glove inserted on the form and after the glove has heated, a camming means would be brought up against the actuating means of the glove form to effect lateral displacement of the fingers of the glove form. The camming means may comprise a lever operated surface which surface would be caused to cam against the camming means or cam follower of the glove form by merely actuating the lever.

While the present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A glove form for use in the ironing and stretching of gloves comprising opposing half forms including half fingers held in contacting relationship along at least a portion of their parting lines, at least one of the half forms being tapered in thickness to a smaller dimension rearward of the fingers, connecting means near the forward portion of the half forms for loosely holding one of the half forms in abutting and rockable relationship with the other along at least said portion of their parting lines, guide means rearward of the fingers near the tapered portion for maintaining alignment and a loose coupling relationship between the rear portions of the half forms, biasing means associated with said half forms for maintaining the half fingers of one half form mechanically biased against the half fingers of the other half form, and

'7 I means associated with the loosely connected half form by means of which the half fingers can be rockably separated prising a glove form for supporting the fingers of the gloves, the improved combination wherein said glove form is comprised of opposing half forms in contacting relationship along at least a portion of their parting lines,

at least one of the half forms being tapered in thickness to a smaller dimension rearward of the fingers, connecting means near the forward portion of the half forms for loosely holding one of the half forms in abutting and rockable relationship with the other along at least said portion of their parting lines, guide means rearward of the fingers near the tapered portion for maintaining alignment and a loose coupling relationship between the rear portions of the half forms, biasing means associated with said half forms for maintaining the half fingers of one half form mechanically biased against the half fingers of the other half form, a cam follower means associated with the loosely connected half form through which the half fingers can be rockably separated laterally against the bias by the rocking action of one half form along the parting line of the other, and cam lever means for cooperating with said cam follower means to efiect the lateral separation of said half fingers against the base, thereby to efiect the lateral stretching of a glove mounted on said form.

3. In a machine for ironing and stretching gloves comprising glove forrns for supporting the fingers of the gloves to extend substantially in a predetermined plane and means for cyclically moving said glove forms to various working positions, the improved combination wherein each of said glove, forms is comprised of opposing-half forms in contacting relationship along at least aportion of their parting lines, atleast one of the half forms being tapered in thickness to a smaller dimension rearward of the fingers, connecting means near the forward portion of the half forms for loosely holding one of the half forms in abutting and rockable relationship with the other along at least said portion of their parting lines, guide means rearward of the fingers near the tapered portion for maintaining alignment and a loose coupling relationship between the rear portions of the half forms, biasing means associated with said half forms for maintaining the half fingers of one half form mechanically biased against the half fingers of the other half form, a cam follower means associated with the loosely connected half form through which the half fingers can be rockably separated laterally against the bias by the rocking action of one half form along the parting line of the other, and cam surface means associated with said machine which extends in the path of travel of said cam follower, said camming surface means being rockably biased in a camrning position about a fulcrum so that after the cam follower contacts and travels along said camming surface past said fulcrum, said camming surface means is caused to rock against its bias about said fulcrum to release said cam follower upon completion of the lateral stretching of a glove mounted on said form.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 915,465 McBride Mar. 16, 1909 1,173,955 Grueber Feb. 29, 1916 2,511,455 Boldizzoni June 13, 1950 2,566,552 Boldizzoni Sept. 4, 1951 

